Photo: Cindy Ord / Getty Images
For: The opinion
Friday, November 15
$ 30 million shipment of thousands of counterfeit bags seized in California
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials seized a shipment of 13 thousand 586 counterfeit designer goods arriving in containers from China through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California.
As officially announced, among the articles found counterfeit tote bags, backpacks, shirts and pants from numerous brands such as Gucci, Chanel, Fendi, YSL and Louis Vuitton .
Through a statement , CBP calculated that the amount of merchandise in original version would cost more than $ 30, 04, 04 of dollars.
Carlos Martel, director of field operations in Los Angeles, said CBP officers, in cooperation with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents seized the shipment on November 9, 2021.
For this, “Now more than ever, CBP officers remain vigilant, engaged and focused on disrupting these smuggling operations ”, according to Martel.
According to CBP, Historically, counterfeit products have been sold on illegitimate websites and clandestine outlets.
Furthermore, he underscored that the rise of e-commerce offers a haven for criminals who can now hide behind seemingly legitimate listings on known websites.
Authorities pointed out that the sale of counterfeit products multiplies the illegal profits of smugglers and traffickers who reinvest the proceeds of such sales in new criminal enterprises.
Therefore, it is established that, trade in Counterfeit and pirated products threaten America’s innovation economy, business competitiveness, and in some cases national security and consumer health.
As a recommendation, Customs and Border Protection established that, Before buying, consumers can take simple steps to avoid buying counterfeit products.
Among the points, there is buy products directly of the trademark holder or authorized retailers
When shopping online, read the seller reviews and find a US phone number and address .
Also, remember that if the price of a product seems too low, it may not be original.
Read more:
Tucson Police Chief Confirmed as New CBP Commissioner
Authorities seized record amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl that a Mexican tried to cross on the border with California